Rotary cleaner roll and container therefor



June 11, 1946. Q F SLATER 2,401,842

ROTARY CLEANER ROLL AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Filed Jan. 10, 1944 IN VEN TOR CHARLES E SLATER BY A T'T'ORNEY Patented June 11, 1946 ROTARY CLEANER ROLL AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Charles F. Slater, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application January 10, 1944, Serial No. 517,661

2 Claims.

My invention relates to rotary cleaner rolls and containers therefor, and the object of such rolls insofar as my invention is involved therein is, through 'he employment of adhesive means, to provide a more effective cleaning device for removing lint, dust and other like objectionable material from clothing or upholstery, in place of using the conventional whisk-broom or clothesbrush in common use.

AS is well known, it is essential for good appearance not only to send clothing to the cleaners at needed intervals, but also in addition to brush the same from time to time through the use of a whisk-broom or Similar device, in order to remove dust or lint collecting thereon through daily wear. Nevertheless, by reason of the tendency of such foreign material encountered almost everywhere to cling to the garment, it is very difficult through such brushing as ordinarily employed to effect dislodgment of all of such material, so that despite the exercise of great care, complete removal of the dust and dirt is impossible to bring about.

Through the use of my improved rotary cleaner roll, however, constantly carrying thereon a covering composed of layers of detachable adhesive sheet material, I am enabled at ames through making direct contact with the lint and dust particles lying upon the surface of the cloth to make effective capture and removal of the same. This outstanding advantage is derived from the holding and lifting qualities of such adhesive covering. Each hair or piece of lint resting upon a persons suit or dress can accordingly readily be taken up, simply by firmly rolling my improved roll over the cloth with requisite pressure. Thereby, the unsightly appearance created particularly on dark clothing through the accumulation of such outside matter, will through the use of my invention largely be avoided or reduced to a minimum.

Attention is hereby directed to the drawing, illustrating a preferred form of my invention, in which similar numerals of designation refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure l is a view in perspective of my improved roll showing the general construction thereof and the preferred manner of winding upon the middle portion thereof an adhesive sheet perforated at intervals to form detachable layers thereon;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing the manner of installing the roll in a container designed for the reception therefor and the protection thereof;

Fig. 3 1s a section of the cover of said container, showing the end socket therein shaped to receive and hold one end of the roll outside of the adhesive layers of said sheet; and

Fig. 4 is a section of the bottom of said container showing a view similar to that of the cover shown in Fig. 3, and shaped to receive and hold the other end of said roll, extending beyond said adhesive layers.

Referring to the drawing, the roll 5 is shown in the form of an elongated cylindrical bar. which is here shown as preferably in the form of a hollow tube but which may, as is obvious, be solid or in any curvilinear shape suitable for the purpose of making rolling contact with the surface or object to be cleaned. This roll may be of wood, pasteboard, papier mach, plastic or any available and suitable material.

Tightly wound in layers 8 around the outer wall of said roll 5, and occupying a large central zone thereof, is the sheet 6, which has its outer surface covered with a esive and which as shown is perforated at eac mplete revolution thereof, as at the line of perforations I, so that one complete layer may be removed at one time t x se dmigjafi'siirface of adhesfi complete y encircling the roll. If desired, however, such line of perforations, as is obvious, could be made at intervals of more frequent occurrence in order that shorter lengths of the sheet 6 could be removed without the neoessity of tearing away a complete circumferential layer. As will be observed from the drawing, a considerable space at each end of the roll 5 is left uncovered and is left free and clear of the sheet 5, thereby affording a means of manipulation of my cleaning device without contact of the. adhesive surface of said sheet with any part of the human hand.

The adhesive employed by me to coat the outer surface of the sheet 6 is of a character similar to that used in conventionaladhesive tapes now on the market, except that it Tsreqfihed to nave sufficient stickiness to caus separable matter such as lint and dirt to adhere thereto and at the same time not to be so sticky as to draw upon the fabric fibres of a garment to such an extent as to injure or deface the same. Also the stickiness of the sheet should not be so strong as to prevent the pulling away from the roll of one of circumferential layers 8 defined by the line of perforations 1, although the bond be tween layer should be such as not to permit them smooth, convenient and unobstructed surface or track for sliding contact with the thumbs of the hands cooperating with said inserted fingers to accomplish the said rolling of my device and the desired cleaning of the material. Also the hollow of such tube could provide a convenient location for a small receptacle of spot eradicator shaped to make holding contact with the adjacent wall of said tube, and ready to be slid out of the same as occasion required.

An important part of my invention is the cylindrical container 9, made of pasteboard, plastic, metal or other suitable material, and having inside its bottom end the socket Hi, the wall H of which is made thicker and shaped to engage with one of the free ends of the tube 5, so as to keep clear from the inner wall of said container the outer surface of the adhesive covering formed by the layers of the sheet 6. The top qf i' said container being screw-threaded to engage-"With screw threads formed in the cover l2,'a'hd having a socket I3 similar in form to the socket to and used for the same purpose. By screwing the cover l2 in place and seating the free ends of the tube 5 in their respective sockets, I am enabled to protect the adhesive part of the roll from external injury, to prevent the drying up of the same when not in use and to afiord a convenient means of transportation of the roll. As is obvious, the ends .of the container 3, including-the cover 42, 'cou1d beleft open within the wall' I I, for ventilation or sayingpr material.

essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment, as above set forth, is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of my invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the. meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A packaged cleaner for removing lint and dust from the surface of garments or fabrics, comprising, in combination, a cleaner roller having a central portion provided with an adhesive surface and adhesive-free finger-engaging end portions, and a cylindrical carton housing said roller, the inside diameter of the carton being greater than the diameter of the adhesive surfaced portionof the roller, said carton having end walls provided with annular enlargements in the corners thereof vto provide sockets snugly receiving the adhesive-free ends of the roller and thereby support said roller in the carton with its adhesive surface out of contact with the inner wall of the carton, one of said end walls being removable.

2. A cleaner for removing lint, dust and other material from the surface of garments or fabrics, comprising, a hollow roller, a strip of material wound circumferentially about the roller in superimposed convolutions and having a coating of adhesive coextensive with the outer side of the entire strip, said strip being located centrally on the roller and of less width than the length of the roller to provide adhesive-free circumferential portions to be engaged by the thumbs of the user while the forefingers of the hands of the user may be inserted in the bore of the hollow roller-to enable the user to manipulate the cleaner with;a 'rolling'motion and under pressure over My"invention'n'ia'ybe embodied'in other: s'pe- 4 cific forms without departing from the spirit or the surface of the fabric or garment to be cleaned.

- CHARLES F. SLATER. 

